Tiamat's endgame
by Jericho Lament
Summary: A group of adventurers with quirky pasts are the only ones standing between Toril and an evil sealed away by the gods themselves. All original characters with a few cameos by the movers and shakers of the Realms.
1. Chapter 1

"We think he flew north to the smallest mountain of Giant's reach." The elven woman spoke common with an interesting inflection on the vowels. She was seated at a table in the Three Falcons Inn on the southern coast of Sembia. Her listeners were 2 hulking men in plate armor, veterans of the Vaasa Wars and brothers. A priest of Tempus, the god of battle, a short and stout man carrying a war hammer. The wizard to his left was an enchanter well known in the city. He was also the patron of this group. A red dragon by the name of Agramoreth had stolen his finest work when he hit a caravan traveling from northern Sembia. The last member of the company was a young man carrying a targe and strangely curving longsword. His eyes were a cold crystalline blue.

It was the priest of Tempus who offered the first opinion. "Giant's Run is a death trap between the orcs, ogres, and avalanches. Unless we can find a portal to take us near the cave the blasted wyrm has made his home in."

"Such caution from a priest of Tempus." The wizard, Alruic, said mockingly.

"Such bravery from a mage." The priest, who went by Samos, retorted.

"Enough you two." Said the elf with some exasperation. Those two had been at each other's throats for most of the evening. Only the promise of a dragon's hoard had kept them from blows. The elf, Adrianna, pulled out a map. It had several runes scattered over mountain terrain. "The liches of the Twisted Rune left a number of portals on those mountains. This one," she places a lovely slender finger on one of the runes, "should at least bring us close."

"We're not much fer caring about goblinkin. They all die easy." Said the older of the brothers, Garem.

"Canno' be as tough as Vaasa." Agreed the younger brother Barem.

"Just because you two have the ambition of dying in some godsforsaken place in the midst of battle-" Adrianna muttered.

"I agree with them. We don't have to worry about the goblinkin. But a young red dragon is cause for concern. " Everyone at the table turned and looked at the blue eyed warrior. He hadn't spoken a word until that moment. When the surprise wore off it was the wizard who spoke up.

"If this was a simple task I would have no need of adventurers." he said somewhat irritably. The warrior, Silverkin, didn't respond but held the wizard's gaze for a good long time. "Agramoreth is a young wyrm with soft scales. That he escaped the caravan guards unharmed s inexplicable. I'm bringing all of you to ensure that his streak of good fortune is ended."

"So first we must sail across the Sea of Fallen Stars and trek a good ways into the Dragon Coast. Then, if we find the portal we arrive at the lair of Agramoreth and rush in like fools to the slaughter. Do I have that about right?" asked Samos.

"Our wizardly patron will provide us some protections, but that is the basic plan. With luck we will find the wyrm sleeping and our large friends will take his head before he wakes." Said Adrianna. "We've been over this many times. Now is the time to decide if you will join this expedition. I, Adrianna of the Moon Elves, will lead this quest." She put her hand into the middle of the table. The brother knights were quick to follow. The wizard laid his hand gently on top of the elf's. She pulled it back out of his reach. Samos groaned and put his hand in. Silverkin added his hand to the circle last.

"We leave in the morning. Our patron booked us passage on a merchant ship making a run to the human settlements on the Dragon Coast." Adrianna took her leave of the table and left the thick-headed men to argue and drink until daybreak. And most of them did. But Silverkin and Alruic went to a smaller table to discuss certain private matters. Silverkin had to hustle a few dwarves out of the chairs with offer of drink before they could sit down.

"You wished to speak in private, this is as private as the Three Falcons can become." Alruic took a seat.

"Yes. As you are the patron of this quest I felt compelled to tell you this up front. I am not here to recover your lost toy." Silverkin's dismissive tone grated on Alruic's nerves. And comparing such an artifact to a child's plaything pushed his temper near to breaking. "My true purpose here is my own to know. But you may trust me on this point. I will destroy Agramoreth even if the rest of you fall in battle."

"You are a very crude young man." Alruic said grumpily. His anger having been assuaged somewhat by the promise of vengeance on Agramoreth.

"I would dispute that, but lying isn't really my forte. Now If you'll excuse me I have other business to attend to before we leave tonight." Silverkin got up from the table and made for the door.

"Be careful, boy. The Netherese left any number of foul creatures behind when they departed this fine city. They come out at night to feast on the drunks and homeless." Alruic watched him go out the door, as did half of the patrons. "I may have to find another adventurer before departure." The wizard pulled out a piece of crystal and scryed the most arrogant of his recruits. His spell started just in time to see the warrior cut down a shadowhound. Silverkin casually tossed the beast into the bay and continued down the streets. He had plenty of road to himself, given that shadow beast tended to attack people foolhardy enough to walk around at night. Silverkin stopped in front of a small house near the docks and knocked on the door. Alruic couldn't hear anything through his rudimentary scrying spell but he could see Silverkin speaking to someone on the other side of the door. Then Silverkin started, his back went ramrod straight. Then he did something quite unexpected, he raised a hand and Alruic's scrying crystal went black. The wizard raised an eyebrow.

"So the boy knows a few tricks. He might just be here alive in the morning." The middle aged wizard gathered up his drink and went to his room. The days ahead looked rough, but if he got his artifact back it would all be worth it. It was the height of his craftsmanship and he'd never be able to duplicate it. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd made it in the first place.

The ship Alruic had contracted was not overly impressive. A standard merchant vessel, moderately armed. It's three masts looked a little worn but it's tan sails had no hint of damage. The magically studied members of the small fellowship recognized the symbols carved in the hull. Spells of swiftness and imperviousness.

The crew moved about with brusque efficiency, moving cargo below decks. The salt air covered the smell of stale beer from the deck hands. Alruic boarded the ship to have a word with the Captain before departure. Garem and Barem were conversing with Samos, who was trying to explain why Tempus despised slaughter but loved battle. Adrianna looked every inch the ranger she was. Bow and quiver slung over her shoulder, a pair of longswords on her hips, and the symbol of Gwaeron Wyndstrom etched into her leather armor. Her long black hair was done in a single braid reaching midway down her back. She drew a number of looks from the passersby and the crew but she paid them no mind. Her three male co-conspirators stopped talking entirely to stare at her.

"When do we depart?" She asked after a few seconds of being ogled.

"As soon as the cargo is loaded." Samos said after recovering his wits. Adrianna walked up the ramp to board the ship, sailors and merchants parting before her like commoners making room for a noble. She had an otherworldly quality to her. In a place like Sembia elves were often paid no more mind than ordinary humans. But Adrianna's fey beauty made her stand out, made her seem different. Once she'd even gone so far as to wear a mask in order to avoid the stares and reactions her beauty provoked. Now, at the start of her second century of life she wielded her looks as a weapon. Her dark hair and fine features, the grace of her movements, were every bit as devastating as her enchanted swords.

Garem would have gotten down on a knee and proposed to her the night before if Barem hadn't been there to talk him out of it. Although, at the time he'd only done it so he might have a chance to try first. He thought better of it when she nearly castrated a drunk who tried to grope her.

"How long are you morons going to stare at her? Hurry up and get on the blasted boat." Alruic motioned for them to board the ship and was nearly hit by a falling barrel for his trouble.

"Where's the younger lad? The one with the blue eyes." Samos found them a safe place to stand on-board.

"Not here so he's probably dead. He left the Inn last night." Alruic replied.

"No, not dead. Just praying for death." Silverkin walked up from below-decks, his face an unhealthy pale green. The ship cast off, a sudden imbalance caused a sharp rocking motion and nearly knocked Alruic off his feet. Silverkin went sheet white and grabbed onto the ship's railing. He retched over the side and cursed softly when the boat evened out again. "Tamara, if you have any mercy at all you'll let me die before the next wave hits." he muttered to himself.

"Well aren't you delicate. If you ask me we should dump him overboard now." Adrianna said distastefully.

"Well aren't you delicate." Silverkind said in a tone mocking the elf woman's voice. He didn't even bother to look back at her when he said it. He kept his head over the railing, waiting for the next, seemingly inevitable, surge of nausea.

"Don't worry lad, after a few days you'll get your sea legs." One of the sailors consoled him. The tattooed and bearded hulk of a man slapped him on the back initiating another round of vomiting. "Or maybe not." he said, walking off humming a tune.

"Here, this should take the edge off." Samos chanted a prayer to Tempos and everyone around him felt a rush of strength and well-being. Silverkin felt it too, and it cleared his nausea...for the most part. He pulled a small flask from his belt, took a swig and spat it out. It cleared the unpleasant taste from his mouth and he stood up straight.

"Thank you. I don't know if I could handle two days of that." Samos gave a short bow. His bald head shone slightly in the sun but no one dared make jokes after his generosity. The crew made sail and left the port in record time. The captain asked Samos to join his crew permanently, even going so far as to offer him a payment in gold to leave the company. The priest declined politely, explaining that part of his priestly duty was battle and he was honor bound to see this through.

"A mite shameless, wasn't he?" said Garem. Barem nodded and spat over the railing. Alruic had a charm spell ready to persuade the captain to let the matter drop. He felt the priest would be sorely needed and was not going to give him up until the artifact was back in his hands. Adrianna had left for her cabin below deck rather than put up with the sailors leering at her. Silverkin followed her lead, thanking Samos again for his help. The trip passed without incident. No pirates, not sea creatures or young dragons. The lack of trouble put everyone on edge. The was no such thing as safe passage in the Sea of Falling Stars. It wasn't until they made port that trouble found them. Or would have found them had Alruic not burned half the docks to ash before the ship was in bow range. The crew cheered the wizard loud and long. More than a few of them gave him far more room than necessary. The wizard stood at his full height, which was only about 5 and a half feet. He basked for a moment in the glory of being cheered. He rarely got to do anything so aggressive anymore. When he was young he'd been employed by the Crown as a battle-mage.

"I still know how to clear the battlefield." he said, more satisfied than he had been since the theft of his magnum opus.

"I counted 45 bandits before the fireball. 19 ran off into the woods, 5 of whom were on fire." Adrianna reported. She had an arrow nocked to her bow but found herself without any targets to shoot at.

"Not to upstage ye Addy, but there were 46. Including the wretch on this ship who told them we would be here." Barem said, checking the reaction of his crew as he said it. If any of them were traitors they didn't panic and show themselves.

"Brother, ye can't know that we were betrayed."

"Did ye see what they had on shore. A catapault, one with longer range than ours. And they were entrenched. They were ready for everything abou' this ship. Except for a wizard they could'nae have known we had." Silverkin listened to Barem, all the while weaving his way amongst the crew. His eyes were half closed and flitting back and forth over each and every crewman. His arm reached out fast and grabbed the hair of a burly crew member, his falcata bit lightly into the man's neck.

"And here is our traitor! Lendys has weighed your soul, and found it burdened with deception." His second statement was a mere whisper, meant only for the man he held at swordpoint. But Adrianna heard it too.

"Stay your hand. Let our priest interrogate him. Good Samos, you can cast a spell to sift truth from lies, can you not?" the wizard asked.

"Yes." Samos raised his handaxe in the air and chanted a prayer to Tempus. "Now, young man. Are you a traitor to this ship?"

"No! This dog just grabbed me at random!" Samos heaved a sigh. The seaman felt his spirits lift briefly then sink as Samos shook his head sadly.

"He's lying."

"Captain!" Silverkin called out. The man in question came over slowly, not wanting to seem nervous or hurried. "This scum betrayed you and everyone on this ship. It is your right to cast judgment on him."

"Treason means death. But not death here on the sea. This man isn't worthy of being called a sailor. We'll hang this scum on dry land." And so it was that the Captain did deny the traitor any dignity in death. The ship docked without further trouble and the man was hanged in full view of the settlement leaders and the rest of the crew. He was buried in swampland at the foot of one of the smaller mountains in an unmarked grave. The crew went back to the ship and unloaded their cargo, dried meats, spices, even some livestock. The merchants were shouting at the sailors, not happy with any delay in receiving their goods. The din of commerce was quieter there than in Urmlaspyr but no less colorful. Barem and Garem made a few purchases for the road while the others refilled water skins or restocked on bread or cheese. Alruic had been vague on whether or not he could open the Twisted Rune portals so they were packing heavy in case the journey was longer than expected.

"Nothing like an execution to liven up a journey." Samos said miserably.

"It's what he deserved." Silverkin said coldly.

"And just how did you know that he was guilty?" Adrianna had snuck up behind them while they were discussing how the execution was handled. Silverkin shrugged.

"Instinct."

"And who exactly is Lendys?" Silverkin twitched slightly.

"No one you need concern yourself with."

"I seriously doubt that, boy. How can we trust you if you're keeping secrets?"

"I could ask the same of you, eladrin." Samos' eyebrows shop up into his scruffy hair. It would do quite a bit to explain the elf-woman's influence if she was one of the primal fey folk. Adrianna's eyes caught fire briefly. She was facing Silverkin but Samos caught the flash of green too and his hand went unconsciously to his mace. Adrianna drew her two longswords and walked closer to her fellow adventurers.

"If either of you have a problem with my bloodline, please say it now."

"Problem? I think I gave you the wrong impression. Your status makes me think we all might live through this." Silverkin declared in his usual callous manner. "But if you think your heritage is a secret from our patron you underestimate his curiosity."

"Can both of you please calm down." Samos stepped gingerly in between them, mindful of the blades in the elf woman's hands.

There was a moment of silent tension, anger and rage burned brightly in the elf's eyes, cold violence and pride was shimmering in the human's. The swords were sheathed in a quick violent motion but the tension didn't subside until Silverkin broke eye contact. Adrianna sighed and let the tension flow out of her stomach and shoulders. "I'm only half eladrin. My mother was _Teu'tel'quessir_ and my father was an eladrin journeying on the World's Tree. Is that enough disclosure for the both of you?" Samos stepped back but his hand stayed close to his mace. Silverkin looked her in the eyes again.

"Lendys is one of the gods to whom I pledged service. She is a god of Law and bargains. I knew that sailor was a traitor because Lendys gives her servants such boons as aid in dealing judgment. Does that satisfy your curiosity?" Silverkin asked.

"No, but in the interest of this fellowship I suggest that what we've just shared stays between the three of us." Adrianna looked strangely vulnerable just then. It wasn't as simple as her posture of the look on her face. It was something in the way she worded her request. Silverkin, who was attuned to things like contracts, legalism, and the sifting of truth from lies recognized the plea in the request. Her heritage was a very important secret.

"You have my word that I will not speak this secret lightly. But if keeping this secret endangers my life I will not keep silent. Understand that I am not capable of breaking my word. Lendys does not allow me to lie."

"You have my word as well, though Tempus doesn't forbid me to lie." Samos added sheepishly.

"Thank you. There are some who would be...put off by my heritage." Silverkin heard the half-truth but he let it go. Not out of compassion, but because pressing the subject would only add unnecessary complication to his task.

"My former warning stands. The wizard is a curious one. He will find out eventually." His callous manner annoyed the elf, but she nodded.

"Thank you for your concern." she said, not believing for a moment that his concern was for her.

"Excellent! Now that that's behind us shall we join the rest of our company?" Samos said cheerfully. The three walked toward the arranged meeting place, Samos trying unsuccessfully to make pleasant conversation. "Is Silverkin your real name?" Adrianna asked suddenly.

"It is not the name I was born with. But it is my name, yes. It is a funny thing, don't you think?"

"Your name?" Samos asked, puzzled by the younger man's question.

"No, this situation. A young red dragon raiding a caravan is nothing unusual, but it just happened to find and take this enchanted object, whatever it is."

"Not really. Such things often happen with no rhyme or reason to them." Adrianna said. Samos shook his head. He did not agree in the slightest. He felt the boy was right. As a priest he knew that certain events were the result of meddling by the gods. And he had a feeling that this may be just such an occurrence. A group of street children began to gather around them, seeing their fine armor and weapons

"Maybe, but the coincidence that brought me here makes me think otherwise." Silverkin said. Then he paused for a moment and reached into a pouch on his belt. He pulled out a few silver coins and handed them out to the street children with a smile on his face. The uncharacteristic act made his companions blink. The children ran off cheering and laughing and the three moved on.

"You mentioned a coincidence that brought you to us. What was it?" Samos asked.

"I decided to come to this city, hoping to find a wizard to help scry Agramoreth. Before I had even found a place to stay I ran into Alruic. Less than an hour in a major port city and I had already found someone else who had an ax to grind with a rather insignificant dragon. It seems to stretch credulity to say that it was mere chance." Adrianna frowned. She hadn't known that. She'd answered a call for adventurers, as had the two Vassans.

"So how did you come to join this company, priest?" Silverkin asked.

"Tempus sometimes sends inspiration to his priests. A restlessness that can only be assuaged by the glory of battle and conquest. I receive such inspiration a mere tenday ago and left my brothers to the north of the city. I came here looking for adventure and battle. If I were to come back having slain a dragon I would gain status among those of my order. Our patron found me my first day in the city and I agreed to join." Samos looked back toward the wizard. The man was examining gemstones purveyed by the local vendors.

"As I said, a funny thing. Much like our compatriots over there." Silverkin nodded at the two warriors who were arguing, not only with a shop keeper but with each other. He walked over to the three shouting men to hammer out a deal that didn't involve someone being punched in the face.

"As is he." Samos said to Arianna. "Lendys is a draconic god, not a human one. But he seems to operate honorably which is all you can really ask of someone you don't know."

"And what would you call a priest of Tempos with a tendency to avoid conflict? Surely that isn't normal." Arianna commented.

"Tempos is the god of battle but also of warfare. Part of war is diplomacy." Samos said in a voice suggesting he'd explained that very thing to many people and was growing weary of it.

"I meant no offense." Arianna said apologetically. Both their heads whipped around at the sound of metal hitting metal. They spun around in time to see Garem throw a punch at Barem who promptly ducked. The blow hit Silverkin just above the eye. The warrior rocked back a step but didn't fall. Cold fire burned in his eyes and the Vassans froze. They were accustomed to brawling with little consequence, even when a whole bar became involved. The sudden murderous look thrown their way was a complete surprise. After a tense moment Silverkin turned and walked away and the brothers let out a breath. So did the shopkeeper who began carefully replacing the more delicate wares on his stand. "Boy looked like we insulted his mother." Garem commented. Barem nodded his agreement.

"Needs to fin' himself a woman who can pull the stick out of his arse." Garem agreed. They regrouped at the town center. The priest and ranger were there first, discussing some esoteric topic. Their wizard patron appeared out of thin air next to them.

"Excellent, it works." the mage said, holding up a purple gemstone inscribed with six runes. "Vendor looked a tad disreputable." he explained. His subordinates gave him a blank look. What mage in their right mind tested an unsure magical device by using it? Garem and Barem sauntered to the other three, each toting a large bottle of what was likely of local manufacture. "Gentlemen, I know I didn't tell you this explicitly, I'd thought it was common sense. Drinking will not improve your chances of success on this venture." Alruic said dryly, looking at the red faces of the veteran adventurers. He was annoyed but not surprised. What was surprising was the smile on Silverkin's face. He had been completely hidden behind the two older men but he was very visible now.

"What's going on?" Samos asked. He sounded somewhere between curious and fearful.

"They bought me something for the trip to apologize for the punch. I returned the favor." the priest saw a wine bottle in the young man's hands and realization struck him. He didn't return the gift per se. He returned the pain visited on him, and they probably thanked him for it. When worshipers of a deity of law held a grudge they could be surprisingly devious. Samos and Adrianna made a mental note not to cross Silverkin lightly. Alruic's face went white with rage. Until Silverkin presented him with the wine bottle. It was a surprisingly good vintage and quite valuable. The wizard, still angry but confused, put the bottle in a bag of holding. He turned and started walking up the mountain. His unusual troop of adventurers followed him without comment.


	2. Chapter 2

Unseasonably cold weather had set in on the mountains. Wind whipped cruelly against the faces of the marching group. Adrianna muttered a charm to help resist the cold while the men pulled their cowls close. Well, most of them. Again she wondered what hidden magics Silverkin possessed. Even Samos hadn't come prepared with a spell to ward off the cold weather. Neither had she heard him casting a spell. Or perhaps he had some trinket. She shook her head and lead on. Alruic followed closely behind her while the other four hung back a ways. Silverkin had taken up a conversation with the priest while the former soldiers kept their heads down and their eyes covered. Their throbbing heads pulsed unpleasantly every time sunlight cut through the clouds.

"So you were a judge?"

"It's not an uncommon thing for a initiate of Lendys. I performed that service for two small cities and at least a dozen villages as I tracked that damnable chromatic dragon." he left his cowl down and his cloak open as if it were a pleasant spring day.

"You never explained what this wyrmling did to make you hold such a grudge."

"It's not a grudge. He broke the law."

"Dragons have laws?"

"Of course, even chromatic dragons." The turf was growing more frozen and solid with every step they took. Samos hitched his cloak tighter. Alruic motioned for the other four to catch up.

"Gentlemen, our guide informs me that goblinoid signs have appeared with increasing frequency in the last few hours. I need you two to keep an eye out as things grow darker. You two idiots will keep your heads down until you recover." he said pointedly to the to men from the Bloodstone lands. They groaned their assent.

"What about setting up camp? Who will take first watch?" Samos asked. Alruic looked at him like he was dim and produced a small figurine from under his robes. The little cottage statue was of exquisite detail.

"Such tedious details have been planned f-"the elf knocker her employer to the ground and threw herself the other way. A crudely made spear buried itself next to the wizard's booted feet. The elf's sharp eyes had caught sight of the hobgoblin as it popped above the hill to hurl the weapon.

"Run!" the elf shouted. She proceeded to take her own advice, hauling the short human mage to his feet and nearly dragging him along. The other four ignored her entirely and turned to face their enemies. Better than 2 dozen hobgoblin warriors came charging down the hill, yowling and hooting battle cries. The foursome drew out their weapons and prepared to meet the attack. Samos lifted his heavy iron mace and began a prayer. The bladed head of the weapon shone with a golden light and the warriors felt stronger, more confident, and substantially more aggressive. Garem and Barem charged the enemy group, their weapons upraised to smite the goblinkin. The great axe and two handed sword cleaved through the shoddy hide armor of the beasts and blood flew on the air. Two were dead at their feet, then four, then six. The heavy armor of the veterans turned aside or stopped short the strikes and stabs of crude spears and stone axes. After a few casualties the creatures rushed past the wild men to attack what they assumed were weaker fighters. The heavy mace smashed weapons and bones with equal disdain. Samos called out the name of his god and smote any hobgoblin stupid enough to come into his reach. The priest of war embraced his role with complete enthusiasm and his god was with him. If he felt any pain from the minor cuts and bruises being inflicted on him he didn't let it show.

Silverkin, being the least imposing of the warriors, had a mob swarming him moments after Samos began his rampage. The monster leading the charge sighted the young man and hooted in malefic joy. It's rusted sword upraised to cleave at the man's head. There was a blur of movement from it's target and the world began turning rapidly. It's head flew free of it's body and Silverkin danced around the falling corpse to meet it's brethren. His fighting style was bizarre compared to that of his compatriots. A sudden lunge to strike, blocking while twisting away with a serpentine grace. A goblin charged at his left shoulder not giving him enough time to turn his sword around. The plain, unadorned shield hid a secret. Though it was a shield it held an edge as wickedly sharp as any blade. The heavy blow half severed the creature's head and the battle went on. Garem and Barem claimed the bulk of the kills but also the bulk of the injuries. Mostly bruises thanks to the heavy nature of their armor. Samos had a fair share of nicks and cuts but he started a prayer to help heal the minor injuries. Silverkin, by virtue of his manner of fighting was unscathed. Only the goblin he killed with his shield had even managed to get within arm's length. Not one had managed a successful strike. But at the same time he only had 5 kills to stack up to Samos' 8 and the combined 17 of Barem and Garem. His method of combat wasn't suited to multiple enemies and had been inefficient when confronting superior numbers. The Vaasan men cheered a successful fight and clapped the suddenly sheepish priest on the back when they saw his handiwork. Silverkin turned and ran in the direction of the elf and wizard. The other three, much less accustomed to running for long distances only fell further behind.

Silverkin just kept moving in their general direction, hoping he would catch up before too long. Then he found the first of many bodies, an arrow protruding from it's skull. From there it was a simple matter of following bodies. He came upon the cave where the elf and wizard had taken up a defensive position. He heard their bickering immediately upon entering the natural shelter.

"-unnecessary. A simple spell and we would not have had to flee like rabbits."

"You brought me along to show be a guard and to keep you safe. I am fulfilling that contract. The others are here to fight so let them fight." she said. Clearly she wasn't happy about the mage's griping. She had saved his life after all.

"Fight's over." Silverkin walked unceremoniously into the shelter and was rewarded by having an arrow pointed in his face. "We're all alive, in case you were curious." He sheathed his weapon and put up his shield.

"And the hobgoblins?"Alruic asked. Adrianna was keeping silent.

"Let us say I am in need of some quality time with an oiled rag." Silverkin quipped. "And my compatriots can all say the same. Are we camping here for the night?" The answer was yes and Alruic revealed the tiny figurine. A few minutes later and there was a lovely little cottage inside the spacious cave and a fire in the hearth, already lit. Everyone found a comfortable spot inside and they bedded down for the night.

#

"I'm getting close." Silverkin whispered into the shallow pool of water. The face of a beautiful woman was reflected in the water. She had silver hair and piercing blue eyes. Her beauty was only enhanced by the intense anger on her face as she snarled back her reply. He held up a

"Just hurry and return. There are far more important matters that you need to attend to."

"Of course, _tiichia_. I'll bring a few choice pieces from his hoard to make up for the trouble." The half-elven woman, if the shape of her ears were to be believed, sighed and agreed.

"Take care." she said and her image disappeared from the still surface of the water. The mirror through which the wizard had listened in on the conversation went dark. He had been keeping a metaphorical eye on the boy since they had left port. Whatever spell he had used to screen himself from viewing back in Urmlaspyr had dissipated. Despite the seeming success the wizard still knew very little. No names were exchanged, nothing truly important had been said. The only thing that had seemed significant was the strange word Silverkin had used. He didn't recognize the word but he knew the language. Draconic, not particularly surprising. He had professed to worship the dragon's god of law. But who was the woman? So many questions. And so early in the morning for such puzzles. The sun hadn't even risen. He laid back in his bed and went back to sleep. Silverkin did not. He stayed awake as he had through the entire night. He wanted to but he couldn't. Blood thundered in his veins, as if his heart was too large and too strong for his feeble human frame. Excitement made sleep impossible. But he wouldn't diminish, either physically or mentally. The unusual vitality of his line would see to that. The battle was drawing closer, the kill. The drops of water left on his hands turned to ice.


	3. Chapter 3

"If this is a nightmare I'm ready to wake up." Adrianna whispered. She had taken point again and she had found the Twisted Rune portal. And no less than a hundred goblinkin, with a few giants thrown in, were camped around the portal. Goblins, kobolds, a large number of orcs, and 5 hill giants. She took a more accurate count and ran back to her compatriots. There was some colorful cursing from the brothers with an admirable effort from Alruic as well. Samos was calmly taking a whetstone to the blades on his mace and shaking his head. Silverkin was sitting on a rock looking up at the sky with an angry expression.

"I should have anticipated this. The emanations of such gates sometimes cause monsters to congregate around it. Hill giants, you said?" Alruic asked even though he knew the answer.

"5 hill giants." she reminded. Silverkin spit off the side of his rock in distaste. "Lovely" she commented. "We can't just cut our way through them."

"Obviously. Which means we need to drive them away." Silverkin said. His bad temper was very evident in the way he was gripping his curving sword. It was the first time Adrianna had actually seen the weapon out of it's sheath. She didn't recognize the make of the blade. It was a single edged weapon with a curving edge. The top half of the blade was bent forward and rounded. It looked more like a butcher's tool than a weapon. Meant to have as much cutting power as possible. "Is our patron also an accomplished illusionist?" he asked.

"Are you mocking me?" Alruic had a dangerous edge to his voice.

"Calm down." Samos said. "We just have to wait until they're asleep and sneak past them with a spell of invisibility. I'm given to understand that you have such spells in your arsenal?" he asked. Alruic shook his head.

"We don't know if we can even use the gate." Adrianna reminded them. "I recommend we take the long way. A dragon is enough to contend with." Even the irrepressible brothers didn't dispute her. Goblins and orcs were one thing. Giants were something else entirely. Alruic took some offense at what such skepticism said about his arcane prowess.

"How long will the long way take?" Silverkin asked.

"At least a week." Alruic answered. Silverkin flinched. That was far too long.

"And if I managed to clear the area of vermin? How long would it take to activate the portal?" Everyone was staring at him. Alruic hid a knowing smile, unlike the rest he had some idea of what was going on.

"A few minutes, no more." he promised. Silverkin got to his feet and started walking. "Where are you going?"

"It'll be night soon. Easier to frighten those creatures. I can get you those minutes and we can get out before any of them are the wiser."

"You ever 'ear of a goblin gettin' wiser?" Garem muttered to his brother. Barem laughed and picked up his gear. Adrianna rubbed her eyes in frustration. This would be the end of them, she thought. Silverkin followed her tracks in the light frost to the ridge where she had scouted the enemy force. When they had found a spot on the hill she saw Silverkin reach a hand under the patchwork of chainmail and leather he used as armor. She couldn't hear the words he whispered over the din of the monster encampment. His brow furrowed in concentration and power gathered around him. Alruic, who was closest to him felt that power keenly. He identified it as divine magic but it felt very different from the kind Samos used. More raw and elemental, though no less potent for it's less refined nature. Silvery light gathered in a nimbus and gradually took shape. Huge silvery bat-like wings, at least 40 feet in span solidified into a semi-translucence. The wings flapped once and a burst of thick fog rolled down toward the encampment. They kept flapping and soon the entire area was so shrouded that the companions could barely keep sight of each other. Silverkin hadn't stopped chanting. When he finally did he took a deep breath and roared. The sound was the roar of a dragon that shook the stones on the hill. When he stopped it was obvious that the monsters had all woken up and were scrambling around. He had deafened his friends with the first roar and they all clasped their hands over their ears when they saw him take another breath. After the third time he pulled a piece of crystal from his armor. It held a potent magical aura of it's own, but similar to Silverkin's magic. It was shaped like a spike, wide and flat on one end and narrowing to a sharp point.

Alruic's eyes widened. He was a master enchanter and he possessed a charm that allowed him to see the intricacies of enchantments. That piece of crystal held an enchantment unlike any he had ever seen. It was simple and breathtaking. It had none of the sophistication of human or elven spellwork but it was so much more efficient. It was like it belonged to the natural world, not constructed. And it was active. Silverkin looked to his fellows and mouthed "Get ready". He pointed the crystal at the cloud of mist and shouted something. The air around him dropped dramatically in temperature. Everything in a ten foot swath from the point of the crystal to 100 feet away was frozen. Goblins and orcs screamed and stampeded downhill as fast as they could. Those that hadn't been killed by the blast of frost.

Garem and Barem were the first off the mark. They charged down the frozen slope the moment the fog started lifting. Silverkin was a step behind them, his right arm cradled to his side. The rest followed just a little behind and made it into the cave in under a minute. The moment they entered they felt the magic of the gate. The slow, malignant pulse made it obvious to the group why so many monsters had gathered there. Alruic paid the sensation no mind and he began studiously examining the black stone of the archway. He pulled a piece of glass from his pocket and looked through it. Silverkin walked over to Samos.

"Could I trouble you for a healing spell?" he held out his hand to the priest. It was partially covered in frost and any exposed skin was frostbitten. The priest began his chant immediately upon seeing the injury. Warm light infused the frozen flesh and the frost began to fall away. As it did, Samos realized the injury wasn't nearly as bad as he'd feared. The frostbite was minor and it healed in moments. Silverkin flexed the healed digits in relief. "Thank you. I overestimated my protection from cold."

"Powerful protection indeed. Is it a spell you were granted or-" Samos was interrupted by a shout from Garem.

"What in the Nine Hells is that?!" everyone looked his way and saw what he was screaming about. A creature had walked from one of the cave's side passages. At first glance it looked like a beautiful woman, but as it finished rounding the corner Garem saw that it's bottom half was that of a lion. It carried a bow and a sword hung from one hip. Garem was about to strike when he heard a sensual feminine voice in his head. _You have no enemies here. Lay down your weapons. Rest. _The voice muddled his thoughts, made it hard to respond. The lamia raised her bow and let an arrow fly. But not at the helpless man before her. The shaft flew toward the man the lamia had identified as a wizard. Of all humans it was wizards who were most likely to resist her enchantment. Alruic was too stunned to dodge. He'd been sheltered as a wizard, more craftsman than battle-mage. The idea that he'd die on this venture had never really occurred to him. Until now. He stumbled back and it saved his life. The arrow took him in the shoulder instead of the chest. Samos hurled his mace at the creature from 20 feet. The heavy weapon smashed the bow and broke the creature's hold over everyone. The lamia screamed and retreated back down the passageway. Garem nearly chased after it but his brother held him back. Silverkin and Adrianna had both made for Alruic when the wizard had been shot.

"He's not bleeding badly, no discoloration either." the elf said. Silverkin nodded.

"I don't have any healing spells prepared. Samos!" at Silverkin's call the priest came running. "I'm going to remove the arrow. Be ready to heal the wound." he nodded. Adrianna broke off half of the protruding shaft and placed it between Alruic's teeth. The wizard snapped out of shock when he realized what was about to happen. He started to struggle but they held him still. With a shove the arrow slid out of his shoulder and Samos pressed glowing hands to either side of the wound. The hole in the wizard's flesh sealed up in moments. Alruic passed out when the arrow had been removed. Arianna shook him until he woke back up.

"You have to get us out of here!" She pointed to the portal. Alruic didn't understand for a moment, he just looked up at the beautiful face above him. Then she slapped him across the face. The additional shock was enough to start him thinking once more. The portal has to be opened quickly, he remembered. They helped him to his feet and Silverkin moved back to the cave entrance, listening for the giants or orcs. He kept his eyes on the camoflaged side passage the lamia had come from. It wouldn't do to let them surprise the group a second time. Adrianna urged the wizard on frantically. He picked up the glass and scanned over the runes quickly, looking for a trigger phrase or gesture. Inch by inch he went.

"They're coming back!" Silverkin shouted. He heard the huge lumbering footsteps of the giants and the maddened cry of orcs in battle frenzy. Far off but getting closer. He wasn't given to panicky behavior but he did start shifting his weight from foot to foot, subconsciously preparing himself to spring into a run. Samos had retrieved his mace and had set himself firmly between Alruic and anything coming from the cave entrance. The priest of Tempus felt his hands go numb from gripping his weapon too tightly. Giants, orcs. He'd accepted that he might die in battle, but he was hoping to kill a dragon before he died. That would be a story he would be proud to tell in the halls of his god. Still, giants were nothing to be sneezed at either. His mace, a treasure of his order would be lost. That he did not want to see happen. He breathed deep and said a brief prayer for strength and courage in battle.

` "I've got it!" Alruic shouted. All he needed to do was complete one of the runes on the gate and it would open.

"Then go through!" Silverkin yelled back. If they lost the wizard first they would be stranded on the other end of the gate.

"I have to go last. The portal will close behind me!" Silverkin sprinted back to the gate and barely slowed as he ran through. Alruic shouted for everyone else to get through. Samos waited for Adrianna to go through. She nodded and stepped through. Then the brothers grabbed the priest and tossed him through the gate just ahead of them. Alruic just wanted to lay back down and go to sleep, but the enraged face of a giant appearing at the cave entrance gave him the jolt he needed to fall though the Twisted Rune gateway. There was a brief sensation of vertigo and a pure white light was all around him. Then he was caught by the burly arms of Garem on the other end of the portal.

He couldn't see or hear anything for a moment. His eyes were still reeling from the transition from blinding light to darkness. When his vision cleared he discovered he wasn't deaf, everyone else was simply being very quiet. A moment later he realized why. A dozen lamias were sprawled on the floor around the gate.


End file.
